Kaingang indigenous, family farmers and soy in southern Brazil: new old conflicts over land

Abstract

ABSTRACT Over the past two decades, the expansion of agriculture in Brazil, along with indigenous peoples’ growing claims for land, has increased the tension between indigenous groups and farmers. This paper addresses the dispute for land between Kaingangs and family farmers in southern Brazil, aiming to reveal tensions, disagreements and coalitions – that is, the frictions – demonstrated by these subjects when they narrate their current experiences and practices. Our proposal is to look at these conflicts from a cosmopolitical perspective. The research is inspired by multilocal ethnographies, using open interviews with Kaingangs, farmers and local authorities as its main methodological procedure. We also discuss the main historical-political characteristics of recent decades, situating the action of the State regarding conflicts involving indigenous peoples, as well as how this situation may develop in the current context.